1. Technical Field
This invention is directed to the sterilization of potable water at the dispensing outlet. More specifically, the use of ultraviolet radiation lamps to affect a sterilization of drinking water by exposing the water stream to UV radiation using a germicidal UV light source.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art devices of this type can be seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,734, 5,626,768, 6,570,173 and 6,521,192.
Most prior art patents are directed to remote ultraviolet lamp systems that use a traditional ultraviolet lamp directing the ultraviolet radiation to a housing or jacket about the lamp through which water flows.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,731 a protective sleeve about a UV lamp is shown. Also see U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,192 in which a lamp cooling for a UV lamp reactor assembly is disclosed for treating a fluid medium where the lamp is operable at high temperatures in excess of 300 degrees centigrade.
Other patents for water purification use similar UV lamp configurations for treating water, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,734, 5,626,768.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,194 an ozone generating faucet is disclosed that uses a faucet mounted ozone generator to produce ozone which is then infused into the water stream as it passes through the faucet thereby sterilizing the water using the sterilizing properties of ozone.